Serial killer gets life in prison

GRAHAM, N.C. — Family and friends couldn’t hold back tears as the Alamance County Prosecutor read in grim detail how Robert Foust killed 39-year-old Michelle Morton and hid her body.

Morton had been missing since February of 2009, leaving her loved ones wondering what happened.

“Horrible. It’s indescribable. You don’t know until you live through it,” said Kelly Perry, Morton’s friend.

Investigators say they knew Foust killed Morton and had all the evidence except her body. But last month they got a break in the case.

Foust was already serving time for raping Morton. While in prison Foust told two inmates how he killed her and another woman, 49-year-old Tamara Liner. That was all investigators needed to bring Foust back to Alamance County on two new murder charges.

“I want him to know how much he’s hurt all of us and how much we’ve went through in these past couple years and now I know that he’s not going to be able to do this anymore,” said Caylee Harrell, Morton’s daughter.

To avoid the death penalty, Foust told investigators where he buried Morton’s body — in the woods near Morningside Drive, in Burlington. Detectives had already found Tamara Liner’s body in 2009.

Perry and Harrell both wrote letters to Foust and read them aloud.

“I wanted to scream it at him and it was hard, but it was something I needed to do and I wanted to do it for her, for her daughter and the rest of the family,” said Perry.

While many people in the courtroom had tears in their eyes, somehow Harrell managed to stay strong.

“I don’t think he deserves the satisfaction of seeing me cry,” said Harrell.

Through it all Foust sat expressionless in the courtroom.

Foust has been convicted of murder before, which now makes him a serial killer. He pleaded guilty to two counts of second degree murder. The judge sentenced him to life in prison without parole, but it will be a long time before family and friends gain closure.

“There is no justice here. She’s gone forever. He gets to live, we get to pay for hm to live. It’s just not right,” said Perry.